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    Caste: The Unexplored Territories
    Caste: The Unexplored Territories
    Caste: The Unexplored Territories
    Ebook61 pages1 hour

    Caste: The Unexplored Territories

    By Roy T James

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    About this ebook

    Caste is a relic of dark ages. It did not evolve into a modernized version in the natural course of events as the people of India were not the real custodians of Indian society, having been under foreign rule for many years and those rulers finding great use in caste. Other countries had their share of such customs which are even more shocking, like lynching or burning at stake, various entertainments of Roman Empire, all of which, evolved into something less obnoxious, as time went by. There has never been a time in Indian history when someone of significance did not attempt in its eradication be it Buddha, Swami Vivekanada or the hordes of other leaders of later origin How come it still remains, causing trouble at will, though there is nobody who does not earnestly say that they want to see its' demise. This book is trying to answer that by taking a unique approach the problem.
    Describing the evolution of caste in a 'no nonsense' language and exhorting all the need to take urgent steps before it is too late, this book is an attempt to identify the exact reasons why caste has been readily accepted in India and continue to be so, regardless of the multitude of cultural, social and political changes over many a century. Although what is vogue is to consider caste as something imposed from above, sufficient reasons are given pointing to the contrary and explaining why people would have been in more or less consonance with this system. Differing with and offering alternatives to the popular view, this book is bound to prod the readers into firing the best of their arsenal, either to oppose caste or to oppose the author.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRoy T James
    Release dateMar 20, 2015
    ISBN9781311505828
    Caste: The Unexplored Territories
    Author

    Roy T James

    He has taken to writing on retirement from Indian Navy in 2013 after a lengthy career, during which he had the good luck to come across as colleagues, subordinates and superiors, a real, wide cross section of India, and quite a few more from the rest of the world. Every second person, during those years, that one had to do business with, thus being from widely different backgrounds and consequently presenting a kaleidoscopic view of society, he couldn't but reflect on human transactions in many colors, each of them leading to a horde of imponderables, human or non human, living and non living.So far has published the following books:-Origin of Caste in India, revised and republished as CASTE The Unexplored Territories, a new, practical and fundamentally different approach to the most vexed social problem of India.-Origin of Evolution, revised and republished as The Unsure Male, a holistic look at the issue of life which shockingly opens up a myriad of possibilities.-Glimpses of Autobiography, a collection of memories.-Hubs that Provoke, a collection of Essays.-More Hubs that Provoke, a collection of Essays.-Homo Posterus, a science fiction novel.-Life of Style, a book that presents human life as nothing but an expedient for a lifestyle.-Overhaul Life, an attempt to specify an overhaul life for our life.

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      Book preview

      Caste - Roy T James

      CASTE: THE UNEXPLORED TERRITORIES

      ROY T JAMES

      Publised by: Roy T James

      SMASHWORDS edition

      PREFACE

      This book is an attempt to present caste in its entirety, especially with reference to India, in a common relationship with life as is its starting point. For the reason that caste is an integral part of life. And, if you dissect life to examine it, what you end up examining is not life.

      This book is also an attempt to offer a primer, providing essential information about caste from as many viewpoints as possible. For the reason that most of the books see caste as a collection of impositions having no regard to its life and, others see it as an abstraction summarizing one’s persona, disregarding the pinpricks and hazards of its exterior. These two endeavors are not clearly delineated, as caste in reality exists everywhere as an inseparable union of both, in varying ratios and combinations. A peep inside shall then give the true picture, enhancing the pleasure of seeing one's interest in a richness of colors.

      My motivation for writing this book came from three quarters.

      I happened to get admitted to a military hospital for more than a year at a stretch with books as the only companions, the hospital being located far from the nearest urban dwelling. From the few books readily available for reading, I found ‘Mahatma Gandhi-The Complete Works’ deeply enjoyable and captivating. I also could discover in the author a very intelligent, discerning and practical individual, quite contrary to the image I had been maintaining all the while. It dawned on me that Mahatma Gandhi is being constantly hijacked by all, followers, opponents and congressmen alike, presenting him as someone deeply lovable or impractical or both, to keep his real self away from the public. I found in him, the only voice during the freedom struggle which advised those of lower caste to surpass the ones of upper caste by freely competing with them. He was also vehemently opposed to reservations of any kind, as it effectively nullified such a contest.

      ‘The Complete Works’ changed my very idea of caste, rooted in the exhortations, writings and discussions, I was constantly made to witness as part of the much celebrated ‘Indian democracy’. These new findings further encouraged me to conduct my own research. And thanks to the little foray I made into the story of transition of Indian society, I now feel empowered to present a radically different view.

      My efforts in reading ‘The Complete Works’ also brought to fore another occurrence of my younger days, an event connected with my school life, the unease caused by which has been lying dormant with me all these years. While in school, I witnessed the funeral of one of my teachers who happened to meet with an untimely death. And the deceased being from a highly influential and wealthy family of that locality, the observance of the ceremonies and events of his last rites was drawing quite a large crowd. When the body was about to be carried to the pyre, out from the crowd came a weak voice Wait, I didn’t get my share. The body was abruptly kept down by all those who have been positioned around for the ritual; the chanting of mantras came to an immediate stop along with all other accompaniments as though on a command. The ceremonies did resume only after paying that lowly servant his due. (According to his caste status, that consisted of a small towel and a tiny packet of rice!) I was stunned by the huge power, the weak voice could wield.

      These memories brought with them still earlier days of my primary classes, when I, with a couple of my classmates used to walk to school every day, most of the times taking the path through an orchard. As we enter the orchard, one boy of our group (the smartest of us, I used to think!) would pluck a few fruits by stealth, which used to be shared by all of us making our school journey really interesting. One day when that boy was ill, I attempted to pluck some of them myself and was readily caught by the owner, though I had unfailingly followed my friend’s evading tactics and

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